"Joao Felix and Nkunku were doing very good" - Maresca explains Cole Palmer absence

Chelsea will not be in contention to lift the Carabao Cup this season after the Blues were knocked out by Newcastle in the last 16 when the Magpies claimed a 2-0 win at St James Park.

Many teams tend to rotate in the EFL Cup as they consider it a minor trophy and therefore rest their stars without starting them, as Enzo Maresca did with Cole Palmer.

However, as the game progressed and Chelsea needed to come from behind, many fans wondered why the Blues manager did not decide to bring on Palmer to try and avoid being knocked out by the Magpies.

The Italian manager told a press conference after the defeat that it was because of the good performances of Joao Felix and Nkunku. "Joao Felix and Nkunku were doing very good. Both of them were doing well... so we didn't need to change", he said.

 

October 30, 2024